Elements of Library

Classification

UNIT 2 NEED AND PURPOSE OF

LIBRARY CLASSIFICATION
Structure
2.0 Objectives
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Documents
2.2.1 Nature of Documents
2.2.2 Collection and Storage of Documents
2.2.3 Factors Determining Arrangement of Documents
2.2.4 Arrangement of Documents in Libraries
2.2.5 Approach of Readers for Documents
2.3 Classification
2.3.1 Meaning of Classification
2.3.2 Definition of Library Classification
2.3.3 Call Number
2.3.4 Purpose and Function
2.4 Summary
2.5 Answers to Self Check Exercises
2.6 Key Words
2.7 References and Further Reading

2.0

OBJECTIVES

After reading this Unit, you will be able to:

list various types of documents acquired by libraries, and describe their nature
and arrangement;

identify the factors determining the arrangement of different collections in libraries;

distinguish different approaches of readers for documents;

state the meaning of library classification; and

identify and describe the need, purpose and function of library classification.

2.1

INTRODUCTION

As a participant in this course you are either a library worker or wish to be one. You
are aware that libraries keep various types of documents. At the outset, it is necessary
to know that libraries hold several types of collections like printed books, journals,
manuscripts, maps, charts, micro-documents, CD-ROMs, video and audio cassettes,.
etc. All these collections should necessarily be arranged systematically.
There are three possible ways in which a reader may demand library material. He
may ask by the name of the author whose works he wishes to read, or by the title of
the book. The third situation is that he may need book(s) on a particular subject. This
last one is known as subject approach. In short, subject approach is the means of
securing unknown items from the collection, and classification is the means of
facilitating it. Library classification yields subject-wise arrangement of library
materials in which documents are arranged by subject and each subject is followed by
another subject related to it, e.g., physics following mathematics. This is known as
systematic arrangement.

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The other important activities in a library such as book selection , circulation and
reference services are somewhat indirectly dependent upon library classification. It is
thus no wonder that classification is widely regarded as the foundation of librarianship.
Classification can ensure

full exploitation of library material and strengthen other services in a library. .The
need for classification is all the greater in modern libraries, as they store different
types of documents requiring diverse storage media. In other words, documents on
the same subject(s) get scattered throughout the collection because of their diverse
physical forms. Classification, however, is the means of bringing books on the
shelves and their entries in a catalogue or index at one place. Let us, therefore,
acquaint ourselves with these different types of documents that modern libraries
acquire and store.

2.2

Need and Purpose of

Library Classification

DOCUMENTS

We find in libraries various types of documents, viz., manuscripts, printed books,

periodicals, pamphlets, reports, photo reproductions, sound records, films, musical
scores, microfilms, maps, atlases, charts, illustrations and electronic media items,
such as CD-ROMs, through which human thought is communicated and preserved.
Proper collection, storage and maximum use of these documents is the prime concern
of present day libraries.

2.2.1

Nature of Documents

The problem of collection, storage and retrieval of documents has been complicated
by the following factors:

The steady growth in the output of various types of documents popularly known
as the "knowledge explosion" or "information explosion" or "information flood"
or "information boom or bloom".

The publication of documents in various languages of the world. The production

of documents in diverse physical forms. '

The nature and complexity of the thought content of the subject matter presented
in various forms of documents.

The complexity of readers' approach to documents and libraries.

Each document, like an individual, is not only unique but also exhibits relations of
considerable complexity with other documents. Extrinsic features like size, colour,
volume, binding, year of publication and intrinsic features like thought content and
their arrangement inside the document, or the nature of information, i.e., textual,
numeric, bibliographic or graphic, also add to the complexity of the problem of
libraries for achieving the objective of maximum utilisation of their collections.
The complexity of thought content and the nature of relationships between various
types of documents must be known and clearly established for their maximum use
The maximum use of documents can be ensured by:
i)

personal assistance to readers,

ii)

systematic arrangement, and

iii) proper display of materials in the library.

If the collection of a library is arranged in a systematic way documents can be located
and retrieved easily. A classification scheme is the map or device for the arrangement
of books in the library.

2.2.2 Collection and Storage of Documents

From the dawn of civilisation man has recognised the need for collecting and
preserving the records of human thought. Books and other graphic material are the
records of human thoughts, action and achievement and can serve as the basis for
future achievement. Their value to society, thus, cannot be exaggerated. These
records are collected and preserved in libraries for the benefit of present and future
generations. These records, diverse in form and content, are referred to by the generic
term documents.
2.2.3

Factors Determining Arrangement of Documents

Documents can be arranged in various ways in a library, e.g., by author, or by title, or by,

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Elements of Library
Classification

22

subject or by basis such as size, language, colour of binding or any other such criterion. The
needs of the readers may be the criterion one can consider for arrangement of documents in
a library. Mills, in his book Modern Outline of Library Classification, lists the following
possible characteristics determining the arrangements of documents:
i) Age of reader: Children's books are distinguished from adult's books.
ii) Conditions attached to the use of the material: Books for lending are
distinguished from those to be consulted within the library. Generally
"Reference Books" come under this category.
iii) Documents of unusual size: Documents of an abnormal size, oversize or undersize,
are shelved separately. This is done to conserve space in the stack area.
iv) Documents of unusual gross body: Micro cards, gramophone records, tapes, slides
and other audio-visual material and electronic documents are shelved separately.
v) Thought content of the document (subject matter): Factual literature is
arranged by subject, imaginative literature by language or author.
vi) Language of the document: Documents in foreign languages are separately
arranged in their original languages.
vii) Value of the document: Manuscripts and rare and costly documents are shelved separately.
viii) Peculiarities of form of presentation: Files of bound periodicals are separately
shelved.
ix) Date of printing: Incunabula - early printed books - are shelved separately.
x) Local history collection: Documents dealing with various aspects of a place,
locality or region are shelved separately.
xi) Gift collection: A large number of hooks may be gifted with the condition to
shelve them separately.
The above factors influence the arrangement of documents in libraries. But thought
content or subject arrangement (fifth in Mill's list) is still the dominant and important
facto- for deciding the sequence of documents. All other factors in the above list are
functional. Though a collection can be divided into several sections on the basis of
any of the above functional factors, it would still be helpful to arrange documents in
each section on the basis of subject matter. This leads to parallel sequences in the
various collections in libraries. In any library, the total collection gets divided into
some separate collections of general books and reference books, textbooks, journals,
etc. There are, thus, many sequences of books on one and the same subject in the
library. These sequences are known as "parallel sequences".
2.2.4 Arrangement of Documents in Libraries
Until the end of the 19th century library collections were small in size. Not as many
subject fields had developed as one notice now, and publishing was not as wide
spread. The readership was not as large as we notice in the present times. Libraries of
yesteryear attempted to arrange their collections on the basis of fixed locations. This
method was employed to allocate each and every document a particular and
permanent place on a particular shelf of the library. Each new document, irrespective
of its thought content, was assigned to the place immediately next to the one
previously added to the collection.
The fixed location failed to bring together documents embodying the same subject.
Fixed location implied chronological order of accession under broad subject
categories.
In some of the older libraries, attempts where made to arrange the collection on the
basis of extrinsic characteristics such as colour, size, year of publication and type of
binding of documents. All these arrangements or sequences are not as helpful as, the
subject arrangement.
Activities
1) Go to a public library, a university library and a special library, and make a list
of various types of documents available in these libraries.
2) Visit a few libraries in your area, observe how documents are arranged on their
shelves, and prepare a brief note.
3) Go to a library and find out how many parallel sequences of documents are
there.

2.2.5

Approach of Readers for Documents

Need and Purpose of

Library Classification

As stated earlier, documents can be arranged in libraries on the basis of the colour of
the binding, the size, the language, the year of publication, the accession number and
so on. But these methods are outdated and unhelpful, as they cannot bring to the
notice of the reader the author, the title or the subject matter of a document. There is
little or no chance of your finding today a library, which arranges its collection on the
basis of colour, size, year of publication or even the name of the publisher. It was
possible to use these characteristics for arranging books when the collections were
very small in size.
There are a few libraries where the collections are arranged on the basis of accession
number or serial number. The other methods by which documents are usually
arranged are by title, author or subject. This is because in present-day libraries, the
reader's approach for a specific document is by title or author or subject. It is
common practice that fiction is arranged by author, periodicals by title and scientific
factual literature by subject. In some libraries, you can find that even imaginative
literature (belles letters) is arranged first by language, and within each language by
form followed by author and, if necessary, by work number.
It has already been explained in Section 2.1 that a reader may demand a document by
a particular author or of a particular title or on a particular subject. There are, thus,
mainly three approaches to a collection, viz., author, title and subject. To what extent
each of these is helpful is explained below.
Author approach: Generally readers go to a library to find:
i)
ii)

a particular document whose author is known or

what documents by a particular author are in the library.

But the arrangement of documents on the basis of the author is not always helpful. If
you want a particular document, or documents on a particular subject, the author
arrangement fails to bring documents having the same specific subject and related
subjects at one place. Here is an example:
Marsten, R.B.

:Communication Technology

Marston, A.N.

:Encyclopaedia of Angling

Marston, E.H.

: Dynamic Environment

Marston, Elizabeth

: Rain Forest

Marston, John

: Dutch Courtesan

Marston, J.E.

: Nature of Public Relations

Marston, Phillip

:Breeder of Democracy

Marston, P.B.

:Collected Poems

Marst, R.M.

: Electronic Projects

Martell, P.
: World Military Leaders
Title approach: Sometimes you may go to a library to get a document whose title
you know. If the books in the library are arranged by title, it will meet your
requirement. But the method of arranging documents on the basis of title is also not
very helpful. There is always a chance of a title being misquoted. Titles sometimes
change from one edition to another. The title of the same document would differ
when translated from one language to another. Sometimes the same document is
published in different countries under different titles, though the language may
remain the same.
Title arrangement, like author arrangement, fails to bring together documents having
the same specific subject at one place. Because of these limitations; the arrangement
of documents on the basis of title is not very helpful. Here is an example:
Instant Astrology by Jack London
Instant Beauty Tricks by P. Brooks
Instant Book Keeping by D.C. Conaway
Instant Chicago by J. Graham

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Elements of Library
Classification

24

Instant College by R.W. Graham Classification

Instant Divorce by S. Rosen
Instant English Handbook by M. Semmelmeyer
Instant Medical Advisor by J. Smith
Instant Paintings by N. Koni
Instant Quotation Dictionary by B.O. Bolander
Subject approach: In academic, special, technical and research libraries, and to a large
extent even in public libraries, you will find that the majority of readers approach
documents on the basis of the subject. This subject approach by readers has increased due
to the growth in science and technology and also to a large extent in social sciences where
the author and the title of a document are important but not adequate. Due to the enormous
output of documents in these fields, it is often difficult to recall a specific title or author
correctly except in the case of classics.
Therefore, one finds that in well organised libraries documents are arranged on the basis
of subject matter. This arrangement helps to bring documents embodying the same
specific subject together and those on related subjects in their close proximity on the
shelves. This would result, as Ranganathan puts it, into an APUPA arrangement that will
give reader the greatest satisfaction at the moment in full conformity to all the Five Laws
of Library Science. In this arrangement, the focal point of one's main interest is the
UMBRAL REGION. This is followed on, either side by the PENUMBRAL REGION
represented by subjects on either side of the UMBRAL region having successfully a
decreasing bearing on the umbral region. The penumbral region will ultimately thin into
ALIEN REGIONS. This is helpful and convenient especially on open access libraries.
Readers can directly go to the shelves and browse through the library collection.
Generally, the objective of libraries is to have an APUPA ARRANGEMENT
EVERYWHERE.
Subject arrangement, hence, helps bring together on the shelves documents on one and
the same subject followed by those of related subjects. Suppose you are looking for a
specific document on say, physics, you can find, where subject arrangement exists,
documents not only on physics, but also those related to it in close proximity, i.e.,
chemistry. It may so happen that if a specific title wanted by you is not available, you can
find another title on the subject that may very well meet your requirement. Some scholars
may need everything available on their topic. You will notice that near the books on
chemistry, you will also find books on related subjects like mathematics and astronomy
on one side and chemistry and biology on the other.
Subject arrangement of documents enables you to know:
i) what documents the Iibrary has on a specific subject; and
ii) what is the quality of collection on that subject, and what are the gaps in the collection?
This kind of arrangement is known as filiatory sequence. In large and special
libraries, having several sections such as:
i) Text books
ii) Reference books
iii) Theses and dissertations
iv) Pamphlets
v) Bound volumes of periodicals
You will find that all these different collections are arranged by subject using a scheme of
library classification:
It has been the considered opinion of experts that the arrangement of documents on a basis
other than subject may not meet the requirements of the majority of readers in modem
libraries. Nowadays the subject approach to books is predominant. Eminent
cIassificationists like Melvil Dewey, J.D. Brown, -C.A. Cutter, W.C.B. Sayers, S.R.
Ranganathan, H. E. Bliss and others advocate the subject arrangement of documents.
Subject arrangement, however, does not mean that there is no scope for the author and title
approaches. These approaches are taken care of through the author and title catalogues.
Subject arrangement, then, is paramount and the basis for it is the subject content of
documents. Library classification is the technique used in libraries for mechanising of this
subject content documents: It is a technique for making libraries more helpful.

Self Check Exercise

Need and Purpose of

Library Classification

1) Write a brief note on the different approaches of readers to finding documents in libraries.
Note : i) Write your answer in the space given below,
ii) Check your answer with the answers given at the end of this
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2.3

CLASSIFICATION

2.3.1

Meaning of Classification

Systematic grouping of entities (both abstract and concrete) to meet one's

requirement is known as classification. Classification lies at the root of all human
activities. Our daily life is very much dependent on the process of classification,
however, elementary this process may appear. You can surely recall a number of
activities around you where classification plays its part. Take, for example, the
arrangement of contents in a railway time table, the display of goods in a grocery,
shop, the arrangement of modules in a departmental store to facilitate the selection of
goods by customers, the seating arrangement in a theatre or stadium, the assignment
of registration numbers to various motor vehicles by a state transport authority, or the
sorting of letters by postmen first by the city, then by the street and lastly by the
house numbers for quick delivery of post. These are simple examples of how we use
classification in our activities.
The word classification was derived from the Latin word classes which meant order
or rank of mobility in Roman society based upon birth and wealth. Classification is a
mental process by which we group or separate things on the basis of common
characteristics. For example, things grouped together on the basis of a common
characteristic like writing material. In other words, classification is an attempt to
identify a class for like things. We succeed in our attempt by applying a characteristic
and isolating all like things on that basis from unlike things. Classification in essence
means dividing into groups, grouping, sorting, arranging, ordering, ranking and
relating one entity to the others.
S.R. Ranganathan, in his Prolegomena to Library Classification (1967), elaborately
discusses the meaning of classification. In the case of physical objects, division and
assortment are the two results of classification, According to Ranganathan, while
division implies sorting objects into two or more groups, assortment additionally
denotes arrangement of these groups in a predetermined sequence. Further, in library
classification, the sequence of objects, i.e., documents, is so mechanised by the use of
notation that it is reflected in the notation when a document is withdrawn or added.
Thus, one can see that the term `classification' is a homonym. Ranganathan,
therefore, tried to resolve the homonym by examining the various ways in which the
term has been used:
Classification in Sense 1 is DIVISION.
Classification in Sense 2 is ASSORTMENT.
Classification in Sense 3 is CLASSIFICATION IN SENSE 2 plus representing each
entity by an ordinal number taken out of a system of ordinal numbers, designed to
mechanise the maintenance of the sequence,

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Elements of Library
Classification

Classification in Sense 4 is CLASSIFICATION IN SENSE 3 when complete

assortment is made of an amplified universe. - that is when the entities and the
pseudo-entities arising in the process of successive assortment stand arranged in one
filiatory sequence.
Classification in Sense 5 is CLASSIFICATION IN SENSE 4 with all the entities
removed but only the pseudo-entities or classes retained.
It is classification in Sense 5 that is used:
i)

either when the universe classified is infinite,

ii)

when some of the entities are unknown and unknowable at' any moment, even
though the universe classified is finite.
It is classification in Sense 5 that is practised by the library profession.
The primary ,concern of libraries is to establish the most helpful arrangement of
documents. Library classification, therefore, presupposes the use of notation, i.e., a
brief symbol for the names of subjects. It is in this sense that the word classification
is used in this and other units.

2.3.2

Definition of Library Classification

Having understood the meaning of classification in library science, let us now go

through a few well-known definitions of library classification.
Library classification has been defined by both the classificationists and the critics,
all necessarily underlying its utilitarian aspect. According to Margaret Mann,
classification is "the arranging of things according to likeness and unlikeness. It is the
sorting and grouping of things, but in addition, classification of books is a knowledge
classification with adjustments made necessary by the physical form of books". W.C.
Berwick Sayers defines it as the arrangement of books on shelves or description of
them in the manner which is most helpful to those who read". Arthur Maltby revises
Sayers definition as "the systematic arrangement of books and other material on
shelves or of catalogue and index entries in the manner which is most useful to those
who read or who seek a definite piece of information". Ranganathan is more
elaborate in his definition. We will study his definition, therefore, in detail.

26

According to Ranganathan, "it is the translation of the name of the subject of a book
into the preferred artificial language of ordinal numbers, and the individualisation of
several books dealing with the same specific subject by means of a further set of
ordinal numbers which represent some features of the book other than their thought
content". In this definition, we find three important phrases, viz.,
i) artificial language,
ii) ordinal numbers, and
iii) specific subject.
These three phrases need some explanation.
Artificial Language: In library classification we use symbols to denote subjects. The names of
subjects are in ordinary language understandable to an ordinary person. Therefore, we call it the
natural language which comes naturally to the human being living in a society. On the other hand,
the symbols that we may use to denote a subject, say B, or 510, or QA for mathematics, are
artificial in the sense that the common man will not ordinarily understand the meaning of these
symbols. Hence these are artificial and intelligible to a specifically trained class of professionals.
Their value is only ordinal, which means that these symbols have no quantitative or qualitative
value; they only determine the sequence/order of documents on the shelves. These symbols also
maintain/preserve the chosen sequence as the books will be replaced at their proper place after
taking them out for reading or lending. These symbols do not indicate anything except the
order/sequence of these documents on the shelves.
Ordinal Numbers: These are used not for the purpose of counting but ordering and
mechanising the arrangement of things. For example, participants in a conference can be
listed in a desired sequence on the basis of some suitable principle and then this sequence
can be mechanised with the help of ordinal numbers.
Melvil Dewey (1851-1931) , the father of modern library classification, was the first
classificationist to use simple Indo-Arabic numerals (0-9) as ordinal numbers for the systematic
listing of subjects both broader and narrower, in his Decimal Classification first published in

1876 (see Unit 4, Unit 10 and Unit 11 of this Course and Blocks I and 2 of BLJ&03P
to know more about Dewey Decimal Classification). Since then the system of ordinal
numbers-notation as it is called in library classification-has been the principal
element in the design and use of library classification schemes.

Need and Purpose of

Library Classification

Specific Subject : The contents of a document may deal with some field of
knowledge. It is a prerequisite for a classifier to know what subject matter the
document exactly contains. After ascertaining the exact subject, or specific subject,
the classifier translates that specific subject into the artificial language or ordinal
numbers of the classification scheme used. In order to know the specific subject of
the document the classifier has to examine its title, contents page, preface and
introduction, and to scan through some chapters, and, if necessary to go through the
entire book. There may be certain occasions where a classifier has to consult an
expert to ascertain the specific subject of a document.
Ranganathan defines the specific subject of a document as "that division of
knowledge whose extension and intension are equal to those of its thought content".
Extension means the scope (if the subject treatment and intension means the depth of
the subject treatment in a given document.
Palmer and Wells define it as "that division of knowledge which exactly
comprehends all the major factors that go in its making". Let us take an example and
perform an analysis to ascertain the specific subject.
A.L. Srivastava : A Short History of Akbar the Great (1542-1605). Agra, Shivlal
Aggarwal, 1957.
It is possible to interpret the contents of this book as `Mstory' or `History of India' or
`History of India during the Mughal Period'. All these possible subjects are not
specific enough and are too broad to convey the actual thought content of the book. It
is, therefore, necessary to add one more phrase to the above analysis to make it
complete, and that phrase is `Reign of Akbar'. All these aspects should now be
brought into the class number. If you omit any of these aspects, the extension and
intension will not be equal to the thought content of the book.
The specific subject of the book can be arrived at as follows History
Indian History
Mughal Period
Akbar
Reign
When you analyse the thought content of the document on the above lines, the
extension (scope) decreases and the intension (depth) increases with every successive
division, as seen above. This sort of subject ordering is called "general to specific".
Ranganathan's definition of classification, quoted above, refers to two objectives:
Translation of the subject into an ordinal number and individualisation of a given
document in the total order of documents in a libr4ry. The subject of the document is
translated into a class number with the help of a notation. But, several documents are
likely to bear the same class number and the problem of individualisation arises. The
class number is, therefore, not enough. It has to be supplemented by one, or if
necessary, by two, additional elements. These additional elements are (i) book
number and - (ii) collection number. Class number, book number and collection
number constitute the call number of a document. It is only the call number that
individualises a given document in a library. Let us, therefore, see what constitutes a
call number.

2.3.3

Call Number'

The call numbers' for a document consists of three elements, viz.,class number, book
number and collection number. The following example will show the presence of
these three elements in a call number.
Jawaharlal Nehru: An Autobiography with Musings on Recent Events in India,
Bombay, Allied. 1962.
The call number for this book by Dewey Decimal classification is:

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Elements of Library
Classification

The explanation of the above call number is:

923254

Biography of an Indian statesman (that is the subject of the book ,

i.e., Class number

NEH

Nerhu (the first three letters from surname of the author ,Book
number)

RR

Reading Room Collection (the nature of the collection in the library

i.e., collection number

Thus, with the help of book number and collection number a document is fully
individualised. It means that the call number of a document is unique.
Different methods are in use to devise book number and collection number. It is left
to individual 'libraries to follow one of these methods or, if possible, devise their own
method or practice.
Activities
1) Make a list of different collections in your library or any other library you have
visited.
2) Visit a few libraries and observe the practices or methods used by them for
assigning book numbers and collection numbers.

Self Check Exercise

2)

Write a short note on the components of a call number. How a call number is
constructed?

Note: i) Write your answer in the space given below.

ii) Check your answer with the answers given at the end of this Unit.

2.3.4

Purpose and Function

We have so far studied the meaning of classification. We also have studied the importance
of a call number We would now do well to see what exactly is achieved by classifying
documents and arranging them in a systematic way in a library.
In the era of the information revolution, the role of libraries in acquiring and organising
various types of documents hardly needs any emphasis-Libraries as service institutions
acquire documents for use. These acquisitions should systematically be arranged so as to
meet the ever growing needs of readers precisely, exhaustively and expeditiously.
You have already been told' in sub-sections 2.2.3 and 2.2.5 that if documents are arranged
in library on the basis of factors other than subject matter, the arrangement will not be
helpful in meeting the requirements of the majority of readers who usually approach a
library for subject material. In other words, documents should be classified and arranged
on the basis of their subject content.
28

We are witness to the information revolution. Documents are published in various

languages in various disciplines in diverse forms. Libraries have always been acquiring
books and adding them to their collections. Therefore, the collection of an active
library continues to grow year after year. Ranganathan compares active and effective
libraries with growing organisms, In an unclassified library, when the collection grows
steadily into thousands and lakhs of volumes, it t would be difficult for the library staff
to lay hands on a particular document required by a reader. To meet the subject
approach of readers the collection must necessarily be classified by subject.

Need and Purpose of

Library Classification

In libraries where the collection is arranged by accession number, or author or title,

and not by subject, books on the same subject will be scattered throughout the
collection. Even if the books are arranged alphabetically -by subject, the resultant
sequence will not be helpful, as unrelated material will come together. See the
following example:
Adult education
Agriculture
Algebra
Alloys
American history
Anthropology
Applied mechanics
Arithmetic
Astronomy
Atomic energy
Australian history
This type of sequence of subjects surely is far less useful and will fail to meet the
requirements of readers. Alphabetical sequence leads to alphabetical scattering of
logically related subjects; as shown in the above example. It is through systematic
arrangement that a filiatory sequence or collection of closely related subjects can be
achieved. For this we require a scheme of library classification. Here is an example
of arranging documents on the basis of Dewey Decimal Classification which brings
documents dealing with different aspects of economics systematically one after
another at one place in a collection.
330 Economics explained
by R.L. Heibroner
331 The economics of work and pay
by Albert Reas
332 Essentials of finance
by R.G. Jones
333 The economics of natural resources
by R. Leconber
334 Cooperative housing
by M. Digby
335 Socialism without the state
by E.Lurd
336 The fiscal system of HongKong
by H.C.Y. Ho
337 Building Europe : Britain's parterns in EEC
by K.J. Twitchett
338 Production economics
by M. Fuss
339 Macroeconomics
by J.B. Beare
Within each class the arrangement is carried out finally and minutely, e.g.,
300

Social sciences

330

Economics

332

Financial economics

332.1

Banks and banking

332.11 Central banks

331.110 954

Reserve Bank of India

Libraries stock various types of documents for different purposes. Classification

helps achieve a 'systematic arrangement of different types of documents.
In big libraries, the collection is segregated in different sections or departments. This is done
for the efficient and effective use of library collections and for the convenience of different

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Elements of Library
Classification

30

types of readers. In each department, the collection requires a classified arrangement. An

Classification unclassified collection, even though equipped with necessary guides, would be
of no use as the readers feel lost in the ocean of books wasting their valuable time to find
documents. It has rightly been said that to locate a book in an unclassified library is as difficult
as to locate a needle in a hystack. On the other hand, a systematic arrangement helps readers to
get documents without loss of time. Thus the time saved by the library staff can be utilised for
rendering personalized reference service for the benefit of readers. A systematic arrangement
of documents creates order out of chaos. It provides a panoramic view of documents available
in a library on a given subject along with those on closely related subjects. This filiatory
sequence of subjects facilitates readers not only in getting his/her documents, but also helps
them know the strength and weakness of the collection. The second, third and fourth Laws of
Library Science, viz., Every reader his/her document, Every document its reader and Save the
time of the reader, as expounded by Ranganathan, can be practised by libraries through the
systematic arrangement of documents. The First and Fifth Laws, i.e., Books are for use and A
library is a growing organism also advocate a systematic classification of books in libraries.
The arrangement of documents on the shelves is in a progressive order of complexity,
i.e., from the general to the specific. Colon Classification is able to arrange
documents in an APUPA pattern. Such an arrangement is in pedagogical order, i.e., it
is self-educative and reflects the progress of that subject in an evolutionary order.
In the light of the discussion in this subsection, the functions of library classification
can be summarised as follows:
i) Library classification helps to arrange documents in a systematic order, which is
most convenient to the reader and the library staff. It brings related subjects in
close proximity, called collocation by Henry Bliss.
ii) It helps the identification and location of a document on a given subject wanted
by a reader whatever may be the size of the library collection. Documents can be
quickly retrieved from and replaced to their original positions. The location,
lending and replacement of documents are completed mechanically in libraries.
iii) It helps to arrange documents into organised groups, like pigeonholes; and when a
new document is added to the collection, classification finds an appropriate place
for the newly added documents among the other documents on the same subject.
iv) The universe of knowledge is dynamic, continuous, infinite and ever growing.
New areas or subjects are being continuously added to the sum total of human
knowledge, When the first document on a new subject is added to the library
collection, it finds itself at the appropriate place among the already existing
related subjects, i.e., among its kith and kin and according to the level of its
relationship to them. The functions stated in (ii), (iii), and (iv) are also known as
mechanisation of the arrangement.
v) It helps to organise book displays and exhibitions. It facilitates withdrawal of
certain documents from the main collection for special purposes and occasions
such as book talks, seminars, symposia, conferences and special exhibitions, on
a given topic.
vi) It helps in recording the daily issue and return of documents on various subjects
at the circulation counter of a library. This facilitates the compilation of statistics
on issues, which reflect the pattern of use and demand of documents on different
subjects. The feedback helps in the allocation of funds to various subjects and
guides the book selection policy of the library. The statistics so collected can be
included in the annual report of the library.
vii) Stock verification is a very important aspect of library administration. Library
classification, through the medium of shelflists, facilitates an efficient and
thorough stock verification of the library's holdings.
viii) It helps in the compilation of reading lists. This facilitates facet analysis of the
reference queries on various aspects and 'indirectly helps in an efficient
reference service.
ix) It helps in the compilation of subject union catalogues and bibliographies of
books and other reading material. The union catalogues are very important tools
for resource 'sharing and cooperation among libraries.
x) Classified catalogues are only possible with a classification scheme. In a
research library classified catalogues are preferred over dictionary catalogues.

xi) It assists in systematically deriving subject entries. It also aids the cataloguer to
use the alphabetical list of subject headings for deriving specific subject
headings through class numbers, i.e., by the chain procedure.
xii) Classificatory principles are used in subject headings and thesaurus construction.
xiii) It helps the library staff, especially the classifiers, to be aware of and
comprehend the complexities in the development of the universe of knowledge ,
which is the basis for a systematic arrangement of documents in libraries.
xiv) Nowadays classification finds immense uses in OPACs (i.e., online public
access catalogues). In a computerised catalogue, the class number field can be
used in combination with other fields such as language, date or even subject
heading and can be used with logical operators such as AND/OR/NOT or the
Boolean logical operators. Class numbers can be used to broaden or narrow the
searches. Class number searches in combination with other fields increase the
efficiency (recall and precision ratios) of the information retrieval system, of
which classification is a tool.
xv) It is the basis for the organisation of knowledge emb6died in documents for
maximum use. It is the basis for efficient bibliographic control and retrieval of
documents. It is a great time saving device for the reader and the library staff.
As Hulme puts it, "it is a mechanical time saving device for the discovery of
knowledge in books".

Need and Purpose of

Library Classification

Self Check Exercise

3)

Make a list of library services/operations where classification proves to be all

important facility.

Note.

i) Write your answer in the space given below.

ii) Check your answer with the answers given at the end of this Unit.

2.4

SUMMARY

It is very essential that various types of collections in a library should be classified

and arranged in a helpful sequence so as to maximise their use. In this Unit, we have
discussed various types of collections and the factors determining their arrangement.
We have also discussed the different approaches of readers to documents in a library,
viz., author, title and subject and the importance of the subject approach in the
present day libraries. The subject approach of readers can be fully met by classifying
the documents on the basis of their thought contents. Library classification is the tool
for achieving subject arrangement of documents and their catalogue, entries in a
library.
The different connotations in which the term classification is used and the meaning of
library classification are dealt with at length on the basis of a few important
definitions existing in the library science literature with an extended discussion on
Ranganathan's definition and its implications. The purpose and function of library
classification are also briefly presented in this Unit. The Unit, thus, helps to
understand the vital role library classification plays in all library work and has, been
aptly described as the Foundation Study for Library -and Information Science.

31

Elements of Library
Classification

2.5

ANSWERS TO SELF CHECK EXERCISES

1) The reader comes to the library for documents. There are three ways in which he may
demand these documents. He may know the author's name and use it for demanding
the documents. This is known as the author approach. He may not know the author's
name in all cases. He may instead know the title of the document and ask for it
accordingly. This one is, therefore, known as the title approach. Both these
approaches are for the documents that are already known to the reader who has either
perhaps once used them, or seen their record somewhere, in a bibliography for
example. These two approaches do not pose problems, as they are for known items in
a known order. The author and title catalogues are arranged alphabetically and,
therefore, their order is a known order. The third situation is where the reader knows
neither the author's name nor the tide of the document. But he knows the subject on
which reading material is wanted. It is known as the subject approach. This last
approach is for unknown items and only classification can meet his demand for them.
2) The class number of a document is constructed according to the scheme of
classification used in a library. This number represents the subject matter of the
document and forms the first component of a call number. Since several documents
may deal with the same subject, they are all likely to bear the same class number.
Therefore to distinguish one document from other documents on the same subject
and bearing the same class number, two additional components are required. One of
them is the book number, which may represent features like author, publication date,
form of presentation, etc. Several methods for forming a book number exist and any
of them may be used for the purpose. The book number is, thus, the second
component of a call number. For the convenience of readers and also for managing
library services more efficiently, libraries establish different collections and different
purposes like reference, lending, rare books, microforms, fiction, etc. The collection
number (e.g., R for Reference and F for Fiction) represents the collection where the
document belongs. This facilitates the recall and replacement of documents. The
collection number is, then, the third component of a call number. A call number, thus,
consists of the class number, the book number and the collection number prepared
with the help of a classification scheme, a book numbering method and a local
system of forming separate collections, respectively.
3) Library classification facilitates a number of library services and operations, the
most important being the reader services. Let us first list these services.

Browsing facility because of collocation and systematic arrangement

Identification and location of documents in response to demands

Bibliographic assistance,

Reference assistance
Library classification also help in technical services like preparation of
Classified catalogues

Alphabetical subject indexes and thesauri

Bibliographies

Union catalogues

OPACs
Lastly, it helps in the following management operations.

Collection of statistics

Stock verification

Assessment of use and strength of the collection

Facet analysis of reference enquiries of library users

Book selection

2.6

KEY WORDS

Accession Number
32

: A sto6kentry number given to a book in a register called accession

register. This number is given serially in the order of receipt.

Artificial Languages Symbols used in library classification for arrangement of documents

on the basis of subject treatment in them.
Boob Number

The ordinal number which fixes the place of a document in a

library relative to other documents having the same class number.

Call Number

Classic

The ordinal number which determines the place of a document on

the shelves in a library. The call number consists of the class
number, the book number and the collection number. This number
is unique for every document.
An attribute by which things are assembled or isolated' in a
classification; a basis for division.
A work of lasting significance.

Classificationist

A person who designs a scheme of library classification.

Classifier

A person who classifies documents in a library using a classification

scheme.
An ordinal number , which fixes the place of a subject relative to

Characteristics

Class Number

Need and Purpose of

Library Classification

other subjects in a scheme of classification.

Collection Number A symbol denoting the collection, other than the general, where
the document belongs.
Placing closely related subjects in close proximity in a scheme of
Collocation
classification. Bringing together in an arrangement all documents
pertaining to one and the same subject.
Any graphic record for communicating thought. It can be preserved
Document
through time and communicated through space.
Scope of the subject.

Extension

Filiatory Sequence Sequence of documents on the basis of relationship of subjects.

Fixed Location

Intension
Notation

Parallel Sequence
Shelf List

2.7

A method of arrangement by marking a book with shelf and other

location marks so that its position on a particular shelf would
always be the same.
Depth of the subject.
A system of ordinal numbers representing the classes in a scheme
of library classification. It files its: position relative' to other
documents in a collection.
Two or more collections classified according to one and the same
scheme and displaying a uniform sequence of classes.
A list of books in a library, the entries being brief and usually in
card form arranged in the same classified sequence as the books on
the shelves.

REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

Krishan Kumar (1988). Theory of Classification. 4th ed. New Delhi: Vikas
Publishing. Chapter 1.
Marcella, Rita and Newton, Robert (1996). A New Manual of Classification. New
Delhi: Jaico Publishing. Chapters I and 6.
Mills, J. (1996). A Modern Outline of Library Classification. Bombay: Asia
Publishing. Chapter 1.
Ohedar, A.K. and B. Sengupta (1977). Library Classification. 2nd rev. ed. Calcutta:
World Press. Chapter 1.
Ranganathan, S. R. (1987). Colon Classification. 7th ed. Edited by M.A. Gopinath.
Bangalore: Sarada Ranganathan Endowment for Library Science.

33

Elements of Library
Classification

Ranganathan, S.R. (1962). Elements of Library Classification. 3rd ed. Bombay: Asia
Publishing.
Ranganathan, S.R. (1967). Prolegomena to Library Classification. 3rd ed. Bangalore:
Sarada Ranganathan Endowment for Library Science. Chapters D-L.
Satija, M.P. and Agrawal, S.P. (1996). Book Number- Some Indian Methods. 2nd.ed.
New Delhi: Reliance Publishing. Chapters 1 and 5

34